Holiday recipes and traditions

Friday

Dec 7, 2012 at 9:09 AMDec 7, 2012 at 9:24 AM

Holidays bring about varying emotions. For some, the holidays seem filled with a dizzying array of demands. The parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, bring with them the unwanted company of stress and depression. The lights, decorations, and anticipation create more anxiety than joy. For others, the holiday excitement is welcomed with open arms.

Sarah LendtM.S. Ed.

Ginger Sparklers

2 cups flour

½ tsp. cloves

2 tsp. soda

1 cup packed brown

sugar

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg

1 tsp. ginger

¼ cup molasses

granulated sugar

Mix flour, soda, salt and spices; stir well to blend.

Cream butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg thoroughly.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Mix well.

Shape dough into 1” balls. Roll in granulated sugar.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Orange Pomanders

Oranges

Whole cloves

1 tsp. each:

cinnamon

nutmeg

ground cloves

Gently push the whole cloves into the oranges. You may want to make holes with a pin first. Cover your orange as much as you like. Mix spices in bag or bowl. Roll orange in spices. Place in a bowl for decoration or tie a string on your pomanders to hang.

Two of my favorite holiday traditions.

Holidays bring about varying emotions. For some, the holidays seem filled with a dizzying array of demands. The parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, bring with them the unwanted company of stress and depression. The lights, decorations, and anticipation create more anxiety than joy. For others, the holiday excitement is welcomed with open arms.

What if we could decrease a persons stress with the food we make and share? My recipes listed seem to do that for me. They are extremely comforting. The aromas elicit such fond memories and feelings of peace and calm. It seems to me that some of our traditional holiday recipes and customs were perhaps invented with more than just great smells and tastes in mind. Did you know that historically certain foods, herbs, spices and things of nature actually offer elements of healing? I’ve listed a few that would be likely to appear during the holidays. Some of their valuable characteristics are: